Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-06-26
sOME SNAKE STORIES.
a Monster Serpent Killed Afier a
Long Eighf.

An Allentown PENN special ssys A
snake that measured lGl feet in length. @nd
Of prOpOriOnate circumference, and which
has been proDourc ed 4 klug-snake by local
naturali.ts, was killed by Elias Moser, a
wCll.known resident Of Lynn township,
this county, a few days ago IN the woods
near his farmhouse. When MOser first saw
the reptile only its head was visible be.
tween The rails OF a fence. lie supposed it
was a large specimen OF the ordinary black
snake, and, picking up a stone, threw it at
the pIotTudng head. The stone missed it,
marx, and the snake, instead Of making of,
BEGAN to make itself more prominent, and
rapidiy uDfOlded Itself TO the eyes OF the
astoni,hcd farmer. After snake bigger
tlan be had ever seen had come through
he fence and the end Of 1t was not yet
Farmer MOscr turned and ran.
The snake followed him, and 80 closely
that the farmer mounted high stOne-wlll
and jumped down behind il. The snake
elidcd up the wall also, and without delay
came down on the other side. MOSer saw
there was nothing for ii but to fight, aud
he grabbed q stone from The wall and hurled
it at the serpent as it approached him.
Fortunately the stone hit the snake near
the head, which the reptile carried high
above The ground, and knocked 1t down.
Hciore the serpent recovered MOscr seized
another stone and tossed il square on its
head. fastening it to the ground. The
weight Of the stone prevented the serpent
from releasing itself, and Moser took al
vantage Of the situation to hurl other
heavy stones on the one that held the snake
fast until the gradual cCasing OF the twill.
ing and coilng Of the great body indicated
that the reptile was overcome.
MOscr did not venture to remove the
stones. however, until he went home and
GOT hls hired man and gun. When he re.
turned thus reinforced the stones were
taken off. The snake was dead. The head
YVES long and Hat. The upper part OF the
body was Of a blush black, except two
broad white bands around the neck. The
tolly was yellOwsh white. The great size
II the snake is something unheard OF for
,erpents known TO abound In this latitude.
ON the same day Charles X. Henry and
Daniel Schroeder, OF the same township.
killed two black snakes on an adjoining
fam which measured nearly eight feet each.
LChigh county is not the only one in this
part Of Pennsylvania where the serpent
iamIly is productive Of excitement to the
farmers. On Saturday, jeremiah Brady,
fsIm.band in the employ OF j. 5. Strick
lond. in the vicinity OF Senator Don Came.
IONS Donegal farm, in Dauphin county,
vas narrowing in a field, when an
immense black snake came out OF a
hollow stump and attacked one OF
The mul's which Brady was driving
Grady struck at il with his whip, when the
snake turned and made for him. Brady
ran TO q stone pie in the field. followed by
the snake. The stone which Brady threw
did not hit the serpent, and n it came
nearer and nearer be mechanically made
stroke at il with his whip, which he still
retained. The lash curled around the
snakes neck and fastened itself there. This
seemed to take the reptile by surprise, and
il turned to get away. Brady held on to
the whip, 9nd bringing stones again to his
aid soon dispatched the snake. IL was a
veIy large one OF the racer species. Before
he finished work for the day Brady killed
ten other snakes, two OF them cOpperheads.
TIE rest were large black snakes.
In Lycoming county there Is a creek
called Eactesnake creek. From reports
received from there during the past few
days it rlcny deserves its name. squire
Clark and John Liggett, who were survey
mg soTc wood-lots along the creek on Fri |
dav, killed thirteen large yellow rattle |
snakes. Liggett stepped on two OF them
before be saw them. One turned to strike |
him in the foot, but not beng colled its |
aim was not true, and it sank its fangs in
its own body. William Reinhold aud
Frank Joy, Of Philadelphia, went to the
head waters OF the creek to camp for few |
days tr0utfishing last week. They came
back to Lock Haven the next day with six |
rattlesnakes which they had succeeded In
killing, and said as many more which they
saw had got away.